


Platypus

by neverwinter (KingPreussen)



Series: it takes a village [13]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Families of Choice, Family Bonding, Family Gatherings, Fluff, Football | Soccer, Gen, M/M, Misunderstandings, No Spoilers, Self Confidence Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 15:51:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10767471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingPreussen/pseuds/neverwinter
Summary: "That's my boy!" Taako said suddenly, and he shifted to reach for little Angus who was flying at him, practically shrieking in excitement at his goal. Taako lifted him into the air and spun him around, laughing more openly than Kravitz had ever heard him laugh before.---Part I: Kravitz spends a day with Taako's family, and doesn't make a very good impression.Part II: A misunderstanding between father and son.Part III: The talk, but not The Talk.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> same notes as other parts in the series
> 
> thank you for your support! im glad people like reading this as much as i like writing it
> 
> [title from platypus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaZ21mFhMDU), partly because i like the song (how i usually name these) and partly because platypuses are these animals that biologists used to think were faked, just stitched together parts of different animals, but theyre very real. kind of like angus and taakos family.
> 
> edit: i forgot to say, my noelle is a halfling person per flophouse taz canon (her redcheek family in hogsbottom) with prosthetic legs, the kind that runners use that are shaped real cool

The summer sun beat down mercilessly on a big, long field of grass, flanked at either side by two netted goals. Twenty two members of Taako's vast collection of family and friends and acquaintances ran back and forth to either side, playing one of the most intense games of recreational football Kravitz had _ever_ seen.

Taako himself wasn't on the pitch but he was standing on the sidelines, acting as a sort of coach for his team aka calling insults at the other side; Kravitz couldn't help but laugh at the more creative ones and got glares from the people rooting for the opposing side. He also got glares from some of Taako's family members who were sitting on the bleachers around him, but that was a different story.

The players didn't have uniforms but they were all wearing some approximation of the same outfit in two different colors. Taako was on the blue team, the pale color of his tank top contrasting sweetly with his skin tone. He was also wearing a pair of tiny, frayed jean shorts that made his ass look incredible.

Kravitz could barely concentrate on the game anymore. He was looking at the slope of Taako's shoulders, how he cocked his hip while he stood, one hand resting on his waist and the other gesticulating as he yelled. His hair was bunned up on top of his head like it usually was during the summer, but some stray curls around his face shone brilliant gold and deep black in the light. Kravitz's eyes slid lower, to the sinful curve of his lower back, the slight softness of his stomach, that _ass_ \--.

"That's my boy!" Taako said suddenly, and he shifted to reach for little Angus who was flying at him, practically shrieking in excitement at his goal. Taako lifted him into the air and spun him around, laughing more openly than Kravitz had ever heard him laugh before.

The rest of Taako's team was swarming them now, too, and Kravitz line of sight was completely cut off. When he sighed and looked away, he met eyes with Magnus, sitting beside Julia who was enjoying a basket of chicken fingers from the restaurant across the street. Magnus narrowed his eyes and Kravitz quickly looked away, standing and making his way down to the gradually thinning mass of people.

Taako was still holding his son on his hip, praising him to anyone who would listen--which was absolutely everyone. Angus looked too embarrassed to function but was still smiling and kicking his legs excitedly.

"Babe, did you see Angus' goal?" asked Taako, turning toward Kravitz with a bright grin.

"I was probably thirty yards out," Angus interjected and something about his personality told Kravitz he wasn't bragging, he was just being honest. 

Kravitz crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at the two of them. "I definitely saw it, Angus, it was a crack."

Taako ruffled Angus' curls and let him stand on his own two feet but Angus still had both arms wrapped around his dad's waist. "It's half time, which means water for you, pumpkin," he said, and Angus nodded at him and ran off, almost immediately being scooped up by Killian and rested on her shoulders.

Kravitz cleared his throat. "You make a good coach," he said. Taako smirked, crossing the few feet between them to press up against Kravitz's chest.

"Thanks, handsome," he murmured while leaning up to kiss Kravitz very chastely. Kravitz didn't dare kiss back for fear of aggravating onlookers, but he did rest his hands on Taako's hips when he pulled away. "You sure you don't wanna play? I'd love to see you out there, all sweaty and exhausted; I wonder if you'd look like you do after--"

"Taako," Kravitz interrupted, his face on fire in addition to the hell from the sun. "I'd rather not. I've seen Barry foul people and I don't want my leg broken." Taako laughed, high and tinkling, nothing like he had for his kid but Kravitz brushed that thought away.

Angus returned with an extra bottle of water for Taako, who accepted it gratefully. "Brian says he's going to kick our asses this half, Taako," he informed his dad with a solemn expression.

"I'd like to fuckin' see that shithead try!" Taako cackled. He lightly rested his arm on the top of Angus' head while he brushed hair out of his face and behind his ears. Kravitz found himself almost mesmerized again, but then Brad, their referee, blew the whistle for the two teams to get back into formation.

* * *

Even in the heat, Taako was extremely tactile. Lup was less so, from Kravitz's observance, but she allowed her brother to stand so close to her as to be _almost_ touching while they waited for post-win ice cream. Angus, of course, soaked up kindness like a sponge and was stood against Taako's front.

"You're going to be sick if you eat all that, Aunt Lup," Angus said disapprovingly. Lup took her three-scoop cone from the cashier and stuck her tongue out at him, making him giggle.

Kravitz privately agreed. Angus was too observant for his own good; he saw Kravitz ordering an Italian ice and came to sit next to him instead of at the table where Taako, Lup, Merle, and Davenport were having what looked to be an eating contest.

Angus picked at his own Italian ice with a small smile. "I don't want them to throw up on me," he said.

Kravitz was nothing but kind to him, but whatever Angus went through before he was adopted by Taako made him skittish and distrustful. He looked at Kravitz warily as if the man would demand he move somewhere else without a good explanation.

"I get that. You're very smart," he said, pointing at Angus' treat with his spoon. "You've been running all day, I doubt ice cream is what you need. And your goal was incredible."

With skin a few shades lighter than Kravitz's own, Angus' blush mostly showed in his ears and the thin skin under his eyes. "Thank you, sir. I wanted to win for Taako, 'cause he gets really competitive during these games, he hates it when we lose."

"I think he just wanted to see you have fun, Angus. Win or lose."

Angus averted his eyes but he couldn't hide his smile. "I guess so." He stuck his spoon in his mouth. "Did you come to see Taako have fun, sir?"

Now it was Kravitz's turn to get embarrassed. "Yes, I did. I want to get to know you all, his family."

"Do you love my dad?"

Kravitz cleared his throat. "I like him a lot. More than anyone I've ever dated."

Angus seemed to be on a bit of a roll with his questions. His blush had faded and he had a steely glint in his eye. "So you don't know if you love him, but you want to meet his family? Most men have stayed away from all of us. Well, Taako _keeps_ them away from me, but I can tell when he's had a date."

"I do like all of you. I think you're… an eclectic bunch." Kravitz tried to be careful with his next question, but something about Angus' expression told him he would be found out. He pushed forward anyway. "How many… dates did Taako have, before me?"

"That's not for me to say."

Kravitz, thoroughly shut down, nodded and returned to his food. Angus began to laugh, and Kravitz snickered along with him.

"We laughin' over here?" Lup asked, sitting on Angus' other side. "Making fun of my brother? Let me join."

"No, Aunt Lup, we're not!" Angus denied quickly, and then sent Kravitz a very dramatic wink--something he must have learned from his father. Lup started to laugh the same way Taako did whenever he was around Angus and ruffled her nephew's hair.

Feeling suddenly nervous, Kravitz pushed his Italian ice away and leaned his elbows on the table. "Just talking. You make a good central defender."

Lup kind of smiled at him, but it was more like bearing her teeth. She, of course, had the same sharp canines as Taako but hers invoked a fear response in him rather than… anything else. "Why, 'cause I'm willing to take people down?" She put her arm around Angus' shoulders and Angus, who had no loyalty to Kravitz, leaned into her hold and waited wide-eyed for Kravitz's response.

"I suppose so." Kravitz broke eye contact and heard Lup huff a laugh.

* * *

"Give me a _real_ kiss, stud," murmured Taako from as close as he could possibly be. The majority of the people who joined them that day had gone home, only Taako's close family lingering at the pizza place they practically rented out for dinner. Taako cornered him in the parking lot where Kravitz was trying valiantly to get in his car and very platonically go home.

Instead, Kravitz leaned forward, kissing Taako like he had wanted to all day. His hands roamed, curiously tugging at the band holding Taako's hair up. Taako sighed indulgently and took his hair down, letting it pour over his shoulders in a tumble of curls. Kravitz buried his fingers in them and brought Taako back up into a deep kiss.

"Ooh, interesting!" Taako's eyes glinted cat-like in the dark as he slid his thigh between Kravitz's open legs. "Is that a wand in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

Kravitz rolled his eyes and slid his tongue into Taako's mouth to get him to shut up.

The pizzeria's front door opened and closed, temporarily spilling a wide arc of light on the other side of Kravitz's car than they were sneakily making out by. "Taako? You still out here?"

"Mm, Noelle?" Taako replied as he pulled away, stepping into the lighter area to greet his friend. Kravitz stayed a bit behind, watching very closely while Taako put his hair up again. The hem of his tank top rose and revealed the dark skin of his lower back, two dimples flanking the curve of his spine, and Kravitz ached to kiss them as well.

Noelle walked over to them with the distinctive metallic taps of her prosthetic legs, holding Angus against her chest. He looked to be asleep. "Hey, Taako, sorry to… bother you," she said teasingly, a cheeky grin on her face, "But I was wondering if Angus was going home with you tonight?"

Taako tilted his head. "Yeah, of course he is. I didn't ask anyone to watch him."

Noelle nodded like that was the answer she was expecting. "He… well, it's kind of a long story." She hitched Angus up to hold him better and he didn't fuss, likely exhausted from the busy day. "I think _he_ thought you and loverboy were going home together."

Kravitz watched a few expressions cross Taako's face before he settled on worry. "I wouldn't just abandon him to you all without telling him, he knows that," he said, but it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.

"He cried a little before passing out. I think he's just had a long day," Noelle tried to soothe, and even Kravitz could sense that Taako was near tears as well. She stepped forward and offered Angus to his father; Taako didn't hesitate to transfer the kid between them and hold Angus tightly against himself. 

"Thanks so much, Noelle," Taako said. He kissed Angus' temple and rested his cheek against his curls. "I'll be back in two minutes." Noelle waved goodbye to Kravitz, who smiled back, and then went back into the restaurant.

The mood was shattered. Taako looked at Kravitz with a serious expression, very slightly bouncing on the balls of his feet to keep Angus deeply asleep. "I guess I'll see you next weekend, hot stuff," he said.

Kravitz knew he was being dismissed. "Of course. Is it my turn to pick, or?"

"We can figure it out later. I'll text you." Taako leaned forward and kissed Kravitz on the cheek, and then started up his bouncing again. "Drive safe, okay?"

"Absolutely. Goodnight, Taako." 

Kravitz's drive home was plagued with worry over a kid that wasn't his.


	2. Chapter 2

Angus quietly watched his dad lead his boyfriend outside with a sly look on his face and a spring in his step. He knew what that look meant, and while he never held it against Taako for needing adult company, he always felt a little bit… bereft when it happened.

He turned back to the table. Carey and Killian were discussing something about their job, where they both worked security. Noelle, one of their coworkers who had become an integral part of the family, was watching the two of them and laughing when they began to playfully argue.

"He was like, at least three times my size," Carey bragged about some guy she got to take down for trying to break into one of the high-security storage centers she worked at.

"No, I was there," Killian interrupted her, "He was barely an inch taller than you." That sent Noelle into giggles again and Killian and Carey looked at each other before turning to focus on her. "Who's the biggest person _you've_ taken down, then?" Killian asked.

Angus resisted the urge to raise his hand before speaking. "Um, Killian?" he asked softly. Killian's attention was on him, then, while Noelle and Carey continued to talk. "I was just wondering. Can I come over to your house tonight?"

Killian just blinked at him. "I mean, you can stay over whenever, little man. Why, you want to have a sleep over?"

"No, I, um." He felt his eyes burning and tried to rub the tears away. "Dad is going to his boyfriend's house, and I didn't, um. He didn't tell me where to stay."

Angus didn't know what he sounded like, or what expression he was making, but Carey and Noelle were also looking at him. "Then he's taking you home, sweetheart," Noelle said.

"He doesn't want to. He wants to go with Mr Kravitz."

"Did he tell you that?" Carey asked. And Taako didn't, not in so many words, but Angus could read him easily. He wanted to spend the night with his boyfriend and away from his legal burden. The burning feeling returned and he sniffled.

Killian shifted closer to him, one hand resting on his shoulder. "Angus, your dad is taking you home." Just as she looked up at the door, Angus heard a car start outside, and he burst into tears.

"Oh no, come here baby," Noelle said immediately. She was the most maternal of the three and Angus had probably set off all kinds of signals with his crying. "He's not leaving you, I promise. Let's go get him, okay?"

Angus sobbed, shaking his head. "I don't want to bother him," he insisted, but Noelle was pulling out his chair and lifting him into her arms. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and tried to calm down. Between crying so hard his head hurt and having a long day in the hot sun, Angus couldn't hold on to consciousness anymore. Soon after Noelle began walking he fell asleep.

When he woke up, groggy and achy, he was in his dad's arms, standing in a dim parking lot. There was a low murmur of voices, and then the sound of a car pulling away.

"Sorry," he said, tightening his arms around Taako's neck without looking up. Taako paused the slow circles he was rubbing into Angus' back and tried to lean away to look at him but Angus didn't let him.

Taako sighed. "Don't be," he murmured, and he sounded so _tired_ that Angus started to cry again.

"I'm sorry, dad, I should have just gone home!" He sobbed, feeling Taako squeeze him a bit tighter. "I didn't mean to ask questions, I'm really sorry!"

"Shh, pumpkin, calm down," Taako whispered to him. He sounded like he was crying too and it made Angus nauseous with anxiety. "I would never leave you without telling you, bubeleh, I will always ask you if you're okay going to a different house. And you should ask every question you can think of if it'll help you understand."

Angus shook his head. "I'm just ruining it, I'm sorry," he tried to explain, but Taako was shushing him again.

"No, Angus. Listen to me." He didn't try to pull Angus away again to see him but he did sound much more serious. "We're going to have a talk about this tomorrow, okay? And you're not in trouble, pumpkin. I made a mistake and I want to fix it."

Angus couldn't think of anything else to say except for an apology, so he kept quiet. Taako hummed a soft song to him, letting him calm down in the warm quiet outside until he was just achy and tired again.

Taako eventually scrubbed a gentle hand through Angus' hair and said, "I'm going to say goodbye for us, okay?" he asked. "You can just go back to sleep." Angus nodded. "You did so well today, pumpkin, I'm proud of you." Angus let that be his last thought as he closed his eyes and fell asleep again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if youre interested in the talk i may write it. otherwise im sure you can imagine how it went


	3. Chapter 3

When Taako woke up, music was playing. This wasn't an _un_ common event, but he had taken Angus home and put him to bed alone, no family or friends in tow. If it were someone who meant harm they would have tripped the magical traps and Alarms he had set at the doors and windows (Angus' room in particular would glow like the sun under Detect Magic).

Taako grimaced at the taste of his own mouth as he sat up. Whoever it was would have to wait for him to shower and brush his teeth before getting any kind of greeting.

Ten minutes later, Taako adjusted his long, thin green dress to make sure the hem wasn't caught in his underwear and padded down the hallway to the living room. Lup was there, of course, holding Angus' hands and leading him in a childish kind of salsa. Lucretia sat in Taako's favorite chair with a cup of coffee and the morning's newspaper, seemingly engrossed in whatever she was reading, but the foot she had crossed over the opposite leg was moving with the beat.

"Morning, sleepy head," Lup said, twirling Angus and making him laugh. "Peanut here was awake long before you were!"

"He's young. He can run for more than ten minutes without passing out," Taako deadpanned. He lifted his hand and beckoned, palm down, for his son to come over. Angus did, trotting over to him and holding the hand he had offered. "Did you have breakfast, little man?" he asked with more feeling.

Angus shook his head. "Aunt Lup promised me we could go to Dunkin' Donuts," he said, but he didn't seem expectant. He was just stating a fact. Taako sighed and rubbed his eyes with his other hand. "Do you want me to help you make breakfast, dad?"

Taako smiled tiredly. "Nah, let's get some donuts. How're you, Lucretia?"

Lucretia finally looked away from her newspaper and met his gaze. "As well as one can be at nine in the morning. Lup woke me up to come visit you two."

"Lup woke you up?" A sly grin began to spread over Taako's face, and Lucretia very quickly hid herself behind her newspaper again. "No, no, I want to hear about this. Was it a sleepover or a _not_ sleepover?"

"Stop being gross." Lup threw a decorative pillow at him that he was not awake enough to catch and he winced, rubbing his chest.

"Stop throwing my shit so hard," he complained. Angus had begun to giggle behind his hands and Taako ruffled his hair, feeling suddenly guilty about the events the night before. "Hey, pumpkin, can you come with me for a minute? Lup, Lucretia, you wouldn't mind, like, going to get breakfast by yourselves and bringing it back?"

Lucretia peeked over her newspaper to raise a brow at him. "No, we wouldn't mind," she answered for both of them, and Taako began to leer at her again. That made Lup Mage Hand the pillow on the floor at him, but before it could make contact Taako ducked and hid behind his son. Angus held his arms out as if that would protect him, and Taako scooped him up and beat a hasty retreat back to his bedroom, Angus laughing all the while.

He sobered up by the time Taako dropped him on his bed and climbed in after him, resting up against the wall so Angus could sit in his lap. Just under a year ago Angus would have jumped out of his skin if Taako approached him like that, but now he was comfortable if just a little tense because he knew what was coming.

"Ango," Taako began slowly, and then took a deep breath. Angus didn't interrupt him but he did cast a very competent Prestidigitation, turning a small section of his own shorts from red to purple. "Angus, I'm… sorry." It wrenched something old and atrophied in Taako to apologize sincerely but he pressed on. "I don't think I explained what happens between me and you when I'm, uh, going to be romantic with guys. Um." He paused again.

Angus leaned back to look at him, eyes wide and curious. "I know I'm not old enough, Taako," he said, and Taako felt himself blushing to the top of his head.

"No, not like that!" He covered his eyes with his arm and laughed almost hysterically. " _Not_ like that. No. Just, uh. When I'm dating some dude, you don't. You don't come second to that. In fact, in _any_ interaction I have, you come first. That's what me being your dad means."

"That doesn't make very much sense." Angus didn't elaborate, just continued to change the shade of the same two inch square of his shorts.

Taako was doing a terrible job. He wished suddenly that he had a talk like this when he was growing up, that someone had told him in so many words that he was important, he wasn't worth less than a one night stand, that he and his sister wouldn't be thrown into the streets because they were taking up space a lover could fill.

"I love you," he finally said, "And I will always love you. I can't explain everything to you, there are some situations where I'll, like, keep shit close to the chest but I just want to protect you. Last night was on me. I should have made sure you knew that we were going home like normal, and Krav was leaving by himself, but _you_ need to understand that I wouldn't just fucking _leave_."

Angus had shifted onto his knees by then, a worried look on his face. "Okay, dad, I understand." His little hands rested on either side of Taako's head and he used his thumbs to wipe away tears like Taako did for him. Taako hadn't even realized that tears were falling until Angus' hands came away wet. "Don't cry, it's okay…."

Taako couldn't help but laugh and he leaned forward, brushing a kiss over Angus' temple. "Thank you pumpkin. I'll be alright." Angus looked at him doubtfully and he rolled his eyes, muttering, "Wow, call me out Ango."

"Get Busy" began to play from his phone and he sighed at the awful timing.

There was immediately a clattering from the front room, like someone standing up very quickly and dropping something to the hardwood floor. "Just shake that booty don't stop till the beat drop--" Lup started to sing, and Taako groaned, gently pushing a dancing Angus away so he could reach his phone.

"Y'all fuckers were supposed to leave!" he yelled back, and then answered the call, using Mage Hand to hold the phone up to his ear while he manhandled Angus off of his bed and back to the living room. "Hold on, Kravitz, I gotta Fireball my sister."

**Author's Note:**

> dont know if anyone noticed, but i usually come through and edit these a few times after theyre posted. no big changes most of the time but if there are ill make a note


End file.
